Scripture Only

Study to shew yourself approved unto God, a workman that does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. II Timothy 2:15

The great cry of the Protestant Reformation in Europe was "Sola Scriptura" which is a Latin phrase meaning scripture only. At that time most of the world did not have the Bible in its own language. The Bible was available mainly in Latin which most people (other than clergy and scholars) did not speak. The only thing that most people knew about the Bible was what was told to the by the clergy. Because most people could not read the scriptures, they came to rely upon the clergymen to interprate the Bible for them. Althought this in itself was not necessarily a bad thing, it had its drawbacks. Since the comman man could not go to the scripture for himself, he had to believe whatever the clergy told him was written there. There was not system of checks and balances to make sure that one person's understanding was the correct one. In time, the scriptural interpretations of the state church came to be equated with the scripture itself. In other words, what the pastor said about a scripture was given equal spiritual authority with the scripture even if it contradicted the scripture or explained it away. When printing became readily available and the Bible was printed in the common language of the day, many realized for the first time the blatant errors that were being taught and took a stand against them.

In 2013 we live in the most educated society in the history of the world. Because of television, the average high school student has watched an open heart surgery. Most of us know far more about the world than Columbus ever did, without having ever left our  living rooms. Yet our world is sadly lacking in knowledge of the Bible. We send our young people off to get secular educations with dollar signs in mind. Even those who feel a call to preach are discouraged from getting Bible college educations because they can make more money with secular degrees.

Liberal theologians are telling us that the Bible doesn't have to be taken literally; we can choose which parts of it we want to believe. We are told that there are many paths to God when Jesus said that "No one comes unto the Father except through him." There is an all out war in today's world against Christianity and the teachings of God's word. Those who insist that the Bible is a book to be obeyed are labeled at bigots and as being prejudiced.

We have arrived at a place again where most know only what has been told to them about the Bible. Very few have read the Bible for themselves. Even fewer are willing to take a stand if it goes agianst what grandma or grandpa taught them. With no disrespect to my forefathers, I am more interested in knowing what the scripture says for myself than in listening to someone else's interpretation of it. As a minister and Bible teacher I encourage my students to read the scripture for themselves. I am not worried that they might take a different view than I have. I am open to anything as long as it is in the scripture. If one day I will be judged by the scripture then I need to make sure I know what is in it. My eternal destiny depends on it.

If I have a creed it is this: SOLA SCRIPTURA - SCRIPTURE ONLY. It is the only thing that matters.